History

The first Mormon families settle in what would soon become the town of Toquerville, the first settlement in the entire area.

The Harris family founded the first settlement of Harrisburg but moved to its current location in 1861.

St. George, Utah, is founded as a result of the “cotton mission” under the direction of Mormon apostle Erastus Snow, bringing increased residents to the area.

Settlers in the St. George / Washington County area continued to experience hardships attempting to make a living in agriculture, such as growing cotton, leading many to doubt the economic future of the area.

John Kemple discovers silver near Harrisburg starting several years where people in the mining profession debating if silver could exist in sandstone.

First known as Bennington, the town of Leeds is founded.

Silver mining in Pioche, Nevada, begins flourishing, which would later influence the development of Silver Reef. Pioche is 120 road miles (2-3 days of travel) from Silver Reef.

First mining claims filed in the Harrisburg mining district.

Investors from San Francisco establish the Leeds Mine, and a mill is built nearby a year later. Both consist of the first large mining operation in Silver Reef.

One of the most significant people to Silver Reef’s development arrives and begins buying property and staking claims.

The first mills, the Steele and Dupaix/Spicer, begin operation but both only operate for a short period of time.

Barbee establishes a real estate subdivision called Bonanza City and begins selling lots. Residents found the lots too expensive, so they built their camps on vacant land nearby. They called it Rock Pile. This small settlement would later be renamed to Silver Reef.

The “Pioche Stampede” occurs, bringing experienced miners from Nevada to Silver Reef. Many businesses move from Pioche and are re-established in Silver Reef at this time.

By now, the Mormon settlers living here begin prospering by selling their agricultural products to nearby Pioche and the miners in Silver Reef.

William Tecumseh Barbee establishes his Tecumseh Mining Company on what would become known as Tecumseh Hill, about half a mile south of the Silver Reef museum.

The Christy Mill, located just south of Silver Reef, goes into operation, also built by businessmen from San Francisco.

Barbee sells his mining interests on Tecumseh Hill (including Tecumseh Mining Company) to the Christy Company.

Using money obtained from the sale of Tecumseh Hill and other interests, Barbee establishes the Barbee & Walker mine and mill on the White Reef and goes into operation.

Two gamblers in a saloon murder each other by shooting themselves simultaneously during a card game. The grave marker of one gambler is prominently on display today in the Catholic cemetery.

The Wells Fargo Office (the museum building today) and the Harrison House (hotel) is built.

The biggest of all Silver Reef mills, the Stormont Mill, begins operation. The small town of Babylon springs up next to the mill.

Two fires erupt in Silver Reef, one on May 21 that is put out by over 200 men, and the other on May 30 sweeps through downtown Silver Reef destroying half of its buildings. Another fire damages Silver Reef’s Chinatown in July.

Father Scanlan, with choir leader John Macfarlane’s help, celebrates a Catholic High Mass in the St. George Mormon Tabernacle.

Barbee & Walker’s mill burns to the ground. It’s rebuilt and back to running eight months later.

Silver Reef’s first and only hospital, organized by Father Scanlan, opens. Shortly after, a Catholic church with tower is fully completed although a smaller church was in use since April.

Chinatown, located just southwest of the Silver Reef museum, grows in population with people of Chinese background performing jobs commonly done in other mining towns.

Michael Carbis, shift boss at the Stormont Mill, is murdered by Tom Forrest, a disgruntled miner, setting off a classic Western-style lynching of the accused murderer.

A miners’ union forms and a labor strike begins, paralyzing several mines and mills, which causes a large number of miners and workers to move away from Silver Reef seeking work elsewhere (many go to Tombstone, Arizona) and thus starting the first sign of decline for the entire mining district.

The price of silver continues to decline and is now $1.11, cutting profits. As mining declines, fewer miners needed medical attention and the hospital closes.

The Stormont Mill stops operating. An attempt to use the foundation for a luxury home fails in 1989.

The Christy Mill stops operating.

Many of Silver Reef’s abandoned buildings are dismantled and/or moved elsewhere. For example, the Silver Reef school was moved to Leeds to continue serving as a school, where today, the building serves as the Leeds Town Hall.

The Barbee & Walker mill completes its last mill run and is dismantled and sold for parts in 1916.

A large vertical shaft is sunk near the Leeds Mine on the White Reef in hopes to access silver veins at depth. The stock-market crash later that year ruins their financial backing. The mine’s large steel headframe stands until 1948.

Much of the mining properties are acquired by Western Gold & Uranium who begins reworking the old mine and mill tailings for residual silver.

The company, Western Gold & Uranium begins mining for uranium around Silver Reef.

Western Gold & Uranium builds a flotation mill for uranium just west of the museum and is still standing today. It can viewed on the Silver Reef walking tour. A larger mine is also built that includes the headframe still visible today along the road to Silver Reef. Several thousand tons of silver and uranium are extracted.

Both mine and mill cease operation due to lower demand for uranium and declining price of silver.

The 5-M Company acquires much of Western Gold & Uranium’s properties, which still owns many of the mining properties around Silver Reef as of 2026.

5-M Company constructs a leach pad operation next to Tecumseh Hill in hopes of milling more silver during a period when silver prices were high. Remains of this operation are still visible near Tecumseh Hill.

A Silver Reef Monument was incorporated and restoration work on the Wells Fargo Express building began.

Restoration of the Wells Fargo Express building is complete and Silver Reef museum is opened, along with an art gallery for sculptor Jerry Anderson.

“Silver Reef Estates” is organized forming a neighborhood over what was once downtown Silver Reef. This would in turn preserve what is left of Silver Reef because of the constant supervision of nearby residents.

The Cosmopolitan building is rebuilt to a similar design as it appeared in pictures from 1880.

The Silver Reef Foundation, a non-profit LLC is formed, which manages the museum to this day.